Monday, December 1, 2008

Stocking Advent Calendar

The Countdown's On . . .


We've never used an Advent calendar before, but I think the kids are old enough this year to appreciate the countdown to Christmas.


I was inspired by all these wonderful calendars and decided to give it a try.


I drew a stocking on a piece of cardboard to use as my "pattern". After a little time on Google, I learned I needed to use a blanket stitch to sew the two stocking pieces together.


If you're anything like me and have no idea what a blanket stitch is, here's a helpful YouTube video showing how it's done.


I had so much fun doing these stockings. It's opened up a whole new world of felt crafting.


To satisfy my green side, I found felt that's made from recycled plastic bottles to use on my next project.


All 24 stockings aren't filled yet. What do you put in your Advent Calendars?

11 comments:

Cathy said...

Those are so cute! My sons are just starting to want an Advent calendar. I need to make a new stocking for James--I'll use felt.

Anonymous said...

How about little notes, little bits about Christmas, small candies or coins for the piggy banks?!

Hillary @ The Other Mama said...

We fill ours with peppermints or hershey's kisses! Yours are beautiful!!

MOm said...

I wrote on little slips of paper; "Make cookies with Mommy today" "Have a bubble bath" "You get to chose dinner tonight" "Make some paper snowflakes with Mommy" ... things like that.
As the children got older, I added a few more service-oriented "goodies" like "Help N tidy his room" "Pick a toy to give away" "Write a card to Gramma" to help my children learn the joy of giving as well as receiving. (My "babies" are now 30, 28, 25, 23, 21 and 19 and my dd is doing the same thing with her children, 6 and 4) Happy Advent!

Jennie said...

Really. REALLY? How do you DO this stuff, and when are you opening your shop on Maryland Avenue? I have to take you to my friend Katie's shop...those are so cute. THEY ARE SO#$@&(! cute!!!

Anonymous said...

Those are GREAT!!

Scribbit said...

Okay those are SO cute, I love how each is different.

Nerm said...

What precious little stockings. It's hard to believe you winged it having never even done the blanket stitch. You are so creative with all the different designs. I'm sure your kids love them too! Nerm

Shilo said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog!
I ADORE your little stockings! So precious and cheerful!
Blessings!

Buzzings of a Queen Bee! said...

Oh, these are so so cute! And I am so glad you gave us a video of a blanket stitch...I have NO idea what that is! For the record, I am putting my daughter's vitamin in our advent this year...she doesn't know the difference since she's only two! :)
Carrie

Laurie said...

I discovered the joy of filling each door/stocking the night before. No one can get into them ahead of time. I can decide what we will do or eat 1 day ahead instead of 24. Since my boys are in school I often fill todays before they get home. (I have a back-up bag of candy hidden- one I don't like so if I don't come up with a new thing I can slip in the peppermint or rolos.)cute stockings.